The physical properties of a material are the features that can be observed or measured.

A material is the substance that objects are made from such as wood, metal or plastic.

The result of a test or enquiry is what happened or what was found out.

If something or someone is suitable, it has properties which are right or acceptable for it.

Uses of everyday materials

Science

Properties of materials

Thermal insulators: plan

Thermal insulators: do and review

Everyday uses of thermal insulators

Insulating our homes and schools (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

Soluble and insoluble

Recovering insoluble solids

Providing safe drinking water (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

Separating soluble solids from solutions

Removing salt from seawater (non-statutory)

Reversible changes of state

More reversible changes

Burning: an irreversible change

Burning plants as fuel (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

Greenhouse gases (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

Bioplastics (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

Rusting: an irreversible change

More irreversible changes

How scientists work

In this Properties, changes and separating materials unit, pupils learn to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through filtering, sieving and evaporating. In the Materials challenge unit, they will build on this knowledge to apply their understanding of separating materials to a wider range of everyday situations

In the Everyday materials unit, pupils learnt to compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties. In this Properties, changes and separating materials, pupils will build on this knowledge to compare an group together everyday materials on the basis of a wider variety of properties

This unit explores the properties of everyday materials, including hardness, solubility, and conductivity. It covers reversible changes like dissolving and mixing, and irreversible changes such as burning. Emphasis is on scientific enquiries, data recording, and presenting findings with evidence.

Properties, changes and separating materials

The things that are owned by the material.

The parts of the material which can be added or removed.

The features that can be observed or measured.

What are the physical properties of a material?

Some {{}} come in different types which have different properties.

choose materials based on their properties

Match the job title to their work with materials.

To find out which properties a new design needs to have.

To find out which materials are suited to particular uses.

Why do scientists investigate the physical properties of materials?

Scientists and {{}} choose materials for different uses based on their physical properties.

To help them choose those which are best suited to different uses.

To help them make clear labels for materials.

To help them tell scientists about the properties.

Why do engineers need to know the physical properties of different materials?

Which materials are electrical conductors?

Which of these are properties of materials?

Which of these materials is a liquid at room temperature?

What do you call a material which is attracted to magnets but not repelled by them?

Starting with the one which lets most through, order these properties in terms of how much light they let pass through.

Exit Quiz

What are the physical properties of a material?